Some people sense the Bible’s uniqueness from the first time they open its pages. They read of God’s power in creation. They hear His cry for humankind to enjoy His love. They look and listen as Jesus becomes flesh, lives, dies, and rises. They conclude that no one like Him has ever walked the earth.
Meanwhile, others regard the Bible as nothing more than a book of myths. Its pages might convey some sort of truth, but its histories have little basis in fact. They believe that whatever wisdom the Bible might contain comes not from God but from the imagination and experience of ordinary human beings.
People must have raised similar issues as Peter and the early Christians spread the good news about Christ. Peter had to defend himself against the charge that he was passing along “cunningly devised fables.” His rebuttal demonstrates that skepticism regarding God and His words is nothing new. But Peter countered the world’s cynicism by declaring he had seen firsthand “the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” He and others were “eyewitnesses of His majesty.” Christians hold that the Bible is a reliable record of this eyewitness account not only of the acts and teachings of Jesus but of all of God’s actions to reveal Himself throughout human history.
Many who attack Scripture fail to adequately investigate its background. The Bible is not a single piece of writing but a compilation of sixty-six books brought together over millennia by authors from every walk of life. These writers hailed from three continents—Asia, Africa, and Europe—and wrote in three languages—Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic. Yet this wide diversity of sources nevertheless records an astonishingly cohesive story punctuated by three essential truths:
• There is one true God of unfathomable power and matchless character. He is all-knowing, all-powerful, all-present, and utterly good. His actions prove Him to be both loving and just.
• God made human beings in His image, but they rejected His kindness and set themselves up as His enemies. The relationship between God and mankind is broken but not destroyed. It is beyond human ability to repair and requires a divine solution.
• God revealed Himself throughout history to His chosen people, the Israelites. Their special relationship with God prepared the way for the arrival of Jesus Christ, who is both fully divine and fully human. In Jesus we see God on full display, and faith in His death and resurrection makes it possible for all people to be reconciled with God.
The marvelous coherence of this message provides unique internal evidence that the Bible is not the product of human invention but originated with God.
External evidence also demonstrates the Bible’s reliability as a historical document. Thousands of ancient biblical manuscripts verify that the Bible we read today accurately conveys the words of its original authors. Moreover, sources outside the Bible confirm the reliability of its content. Archaeological findings from across the Mediterranean and the Middle East back up the Bible’s account of history, confirming specific places, events, people, and dates. Roman sources outside of Scripture—such as works by Tacitus (Annals 15.44) and Pliny the Younger (Letters 19.96)—assure us that Jesus was a real person who began a movement that spread across the known world.
All of this evidence demonstrates that Scripture is more than “cunningly devised fables” (2 Pet. 1:16). It pushes us to see for ourselves whether or not the Bible’s message proves true in everyday life. As Jesus said, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31, 32).
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We can be confident that Scripture is as valid and trustworthy today as when it was first written. Peter notes that the writings of Scripture did not originate with human beings but were inspired by the Holy Spirit. People may have put pen to paper, but it was God who supplied the words (2 Tim. 3:16).
Yet God’s decision to communicate His Word through human beings did not negate their individual personalities. Even a casual reading of the Bible shows that God communicated a cohesive message through the distinct styles, vocabularies, and passions of His individual messengers.
As various writings have come into existence over the centuries, God’s people have gathered together to study them and identify a specific set of texts as the Word of God. The Old Testament, which exists today in thirty-nine books, was written mostly in Hebrew (but also in Aramaic) over a thousand-year period, hundreds of years before Christ. The twenty-seven books of the New Testament were written in Greek during the first century after Christ’s birth.
The two testaments together tell a completed story of God’s love for humankind and His desire that we enter into an eternal relationship with Him. The word testament means “covenant” or “agreement,” specifically a pact between God and humanity. The Old Testament is “old” in the sense that it covers the span of history under the covenant of the Law, which was made between God and the Hebrews at Mount Sinai (Ex. 19:3–6; 24:3–8; see also “Israel” at Rom. 10:1). This old covenant was replaced by a new covenant made between God and all the peoples of the earth, and it is still in effect today (see “The New Covenant” at 1 Cor. 11:25). The New Testament records the establishment of this new covenant, which was accomplished by Christ through His work on the cross (Luke 22:20; 1 Cor. 11:25).
More: Reading Scripture requires us to be mindful of its full context. See “The Big Picture Bible” at 2 Tim. 3:16, 17.
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Fighting for the Faith
Ambrose (340–397) distinguished himself alongside Augustine (see here for an article on the life of Augustine), Jerome, and Gregory I as one of the four original doctors of the church, a title of given to those who have made eminent contributions to theology or doctrine. But when Ambrose first began his ecclesiastical career as the bishop of Milan, he had no formal theological training. He had never even been baptized.
In A.D. 374, when news broke of the death of Auxentius, the former bishop of Milan, a riot ensued. Auxentius had been a supporter of the Arian heresy, which denied the divinity of Christ, and a fierce opponent of the Nicene Creed, a formal profession of faith issued by the first ecumenical council of the church, held in A.D. 325 for the specific purpose of responding to the Arian heresy. The Nicene Creed affirmed the full divinity of Jesus Christ, describing Him as eternal, equal to, and of the same “substance” as God the Father. Upon Auxentius’s death, his fellow Arians were primed for battle should the church attempt to install a Trinitarian (one who subscribes to the Nicene Creed) as his successor.
The Arian heresy addressed a debate that had been going on for decades, but it takes its name from the man who intensified the controversy and carried it to a wider audience: Arius, an Alexandrian elder who taught that since Jesus was begotten by God the Father, then the Son is a created being—by definition, inferior to the Father. But according to Trinitarian Christology, if Jesus was not fully divine, He would, therefore, be unable to atone for human sin. The conflict between Arianism and Trinitarian Christianity embroiled the entire church.
As the two factions clashed in Milan’s cathedral, the city’s governor—Ambrose—arrived to restore order. When Ambrose urged a peaceful resolution to the dispute, his plea was met with an unexpected response. Suddenly everyone shouted, “Ambrose for bishop!” Since Ambrose was known to have Trinitarian views, Catholics were glad to let him have the job. Arians assumed that his background at the imperial court might lend support to their cause.
Ambrose was a popular political figure and had no reason to desire the dangerous role of bishop. Initially, he fled. But when the emperor affirmed his appointment, Ambrose had no choice but to relent.
After Ambrose accepted his new assignment, his life took a dramatic turn. He could have clung to his affluent lifestyle, but instead he gave his wealth to the poor and appealed to a Roman elder named Simplician to train him in theology. Putting his excellent knowledge of Greek to use, he studied the Scriptures as well as many Greek theologians. He applied his new knowledge to his sermons, and his rhetorical abilities impressed Augustine, whom Ambrose later baptized.
Taking the warnings of 2 Peter to heart, Ambrose brought a new depth of learning to bear on the errant teachings of Arianism and forced an end to the Arian heresy in Milan. On one occasion when Arians surrounded a church, announcing the support of the emperor and demanding that Ambrose surrender the building for their use, Ambrose replied, “If you demand my person, I am ready to submit: carry me to prison or to death, I will not resist; but I will never betray the church of Christ.… I will die at the foot of the altar rather than desert it.” Ambrose’s supporters inside the church prayed and sang praises, and soldiers preparing outside to take the church by storm soon joined in the singing, bringing the standoff to an end.
Ambrose was a fearsome opponent to the false teachers of his day. But he is also remembered for his high-mindedness, kindness, and compassion, which won him the loyalty of his people. He often secured pardons for the condemned, helped to improve the lives of the poor, and intervened on behalf of his enemies. He fought for his faith because he believed that love was worth fighting for.
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Keeping Sight of the Big Picture
As Peter neared the end of his life, he offered insight into the nature of time and eternity. He invites us to consider the breadth of millennia and the intensity of mere days, recalling the language of the beginnings of creation (2 Pet. 3:4–6). He also draws our attention to the future, when God will render judgment and a new heaven and new earth will be home to those who fear the Lord (3:10–13). God values a day as much as a thousand years (3:8), affirming the importance of our present everyday existence. But God has also been active long, long before we arrived on the scene.
Peter’s perspective challenges us to undertake the most important task in all of life: responding to God. The Lord wants no one to perish, and He longs for all to repent, turning from sin and accepting His offer of friendship through Christ (3:9). Our decision to respond with acceptance readies us to live with a view toward eternity and values that last—purity, holiness, and righteousness (3:11, 14).
Peter urges us to stick with the essentials of the faith and resist fleeting enticements (3:17, 18) lest we become swept up in the cares of this life and lose sight of God’s eternal plans and our everlasting destiny. Neither the joys nor the problems of today can compare with what God has prepared for us in heaven.
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